Family Recipes

Comfort food from home

/ sbaskitchen / Leave a comment

When we were growing up casseroles equalled comfort food.  They were prepared for  a family meal, a variety of different casseroles were cooked to feed a house full of guests, and they were central to cool weather fundraisers for the community.

Casserole luncheons brought the community together, with each family preparing a casserole to be placed on cloth covered trestle tables that had been set up for the occasion in the local hall.  There would be a small admission fee, raffles, maybe a cake stall, and all funds raised would be directed to a local community project, or to a cause that was close to the heart of the community.

While the casseroles back then were cooked in beautiful ovenproof dishes, dishes that could be taken straight from the oven to the table, I feel that they have somehow fallen out of fashion…  I suppose now, you could liken them to the modern day slow cooker dish.

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Mum’s Lamb Hotpot with Peas

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Mum's Lamb Hot Pot with Peas

This is my idea of comfort food from home, one of the dishes my mum used to prepare, and we all loved it.

Category: Main, Main Course
Style: Australian
Keyword: Carrot, Hot Pot, Lamb, Peas
Quantity: 4
Author: My mum - Grace Flood
Ingredients
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 500 g lamb shoulder cut into 3cm cubes
  • 2 tbsp plain flour for gluten free option see note below
  • 60 g butter
  • 450 ml lamb or chicken stock
  • 250 g carrots chopped
  • 1 x 400g can of peas see note below
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 160˚C.
  2. Toss the lamb in the flour.
  3. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
  4. Fry the lamb, carrot and onion in the butter for 3 minutes.
  5. Stirring, add the stock and liquor from the peas.
  6. Season to taste, bring to boil and stir until thickend.
  7. Transfer to a casserole dish, cover with the lid and cook in preheated oven for 2 hours, adding the peas for last 15 minutes.
  8. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
  • This recipe needs canned peas, not fresh or frozen, and you will need to ensure that the canned peas are not "mushy" peas.
  • While Mum used diced lamb, I have also used lamb neck chops as well.
  • For gluten free:
    • I sautée the lamb and remove to casserole dish, then sautée the onion and carrot, add the stock and add that to the casserole dish.
    • To thicken, I add a slurry of potato flour and water about 5-10 minutes before it is done, the liquid will be bubbling, and by stirring it through for a minute, then replacing the lid and returning the dish to the oven, it cooks perfectly.
  • Perfect sides for this dish:
    • Mashed potato
    • Steamed cabbage
    • Steamed pumpkin

 

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Marinated Coleslaw

 

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Marinated Coleslaw
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 mins
Total Time
17 mins
 

I was asked to prepare the coleslaw to be served at the Banquet for the 2017 Shakespeare Festival in nearby Stratford, but they needed quantities for approximately 120 people! I used my mum's recipe for the dressing. The salad was served alongside orange glazed leg ham , baked potatoes and a root veg bake.

Category: Salad, Side Dish
Quantity: 10 cups
Author: sbaskitchen
Ingredients
  • 1.2 kg cabbage thinly shredded
  • 170 g red onion thinly sliced
  • 2 large carrots 220g, grated
  • 2/3 cup celery 100g, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup raw sugar
  • 2/3 cup vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 tablespoon horseradish cream
  • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp reshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Combine the cabbage, onion, carrot and celery together in a large container, and mix well. Sprinkle the raw sugar over the vegetables.
  2. Place remaining ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes.
  3. Pour over salad, and cover immediately. Allow it to cool slightly and then refrigerate for 24 hours.
  4. Just before serving toss the salad, check the seasoning and adjust, if necessary.
  5. Arrange in a serving dish and serve.
Notes
  • Ensure that the container you are using has a lid to cover the salad while it is marinating.
  • You may need to drain some of the dressing from the salad prior to placing it in a serving dish.
  • You can replace the red onion with white onion if you wish.
  • The method used in this salad is more like that for a quick pickle, making it the ideal prepare ahead salad for large numbers.
  • I have made much smaller quantities and served the salad after only an hour or two of marinating, it was still delicious.
(Updated 22 August 2023)

 

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Mrs Collins’s Pavlova

 

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Mrs Collins's Pavlova
This is a recipe my sister has been making for more than 40 years, it was given to her by her late mother-in-law."
Category: Dessert
Style: Australian
Keyword: Gluten Free Dessert, Pavlova
Quantity: 12
Author: sbaskitchen
Ingredients
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 tsp vinegar
Instructions
  1. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
  2. Add 1/3 cup of the caster sugar and beat until dissolved.
  3. Gradually add remaining caster sugar, beating well after each addition.
  4. When sugar is dissolved, add the vanilla and vinegar, and beat for another minute - only to combine. The mixture will be thick.
  5. Line tray with baking paper and dust with cornflour.
  6. Spread mixture into a disc shape.
  7. Bake in a very slow oven 125°C for 1 1/2 hours.
  8. Turn the oven off and leave the door ajar until cold.
  9. Carefully remove the pavlova from the paper and then, again, carefully, place a large plate over the pavlova and invert it onto the plate.
  10. Cover with lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh fruit of your choice.
Notes
  • Meringue can be made the day before.
  • Can be dressed with cream and fruit in advance and refrigerated up to 3 hours before serving.

 

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